Should babies be swaddled for stomach sleeping?

Question

Is swaddling for stomach sleeping too restricting for babies? Should their hands be free? Then what about the startle reflex?

Answer 1

Babies should NEVER sleep on their stomach...it can cause SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Place a baby on his back or on his side...place on the side particularly after a feeding, and use a blanket roll for support.

Swaddling is great until about 3 months of age, where they get more control of their extremities and don't scratch their little faces as much. As well, the swaddling makes them feel comforted, like they are still in the womb. They sleep better.

The startle reflex happens when the child hears a loud noise, their arms and legs flail outward from the body. They will still have the reflex if swaddled, you just won't see it.

Hope I helped.

Answer 2

NEVER PUT A BABY ON IT'S TUMMY TO SLEEP, blah, blah, blah. My baby died of SIDS and she was on her BACK!!! At least 80% of the women in my SIDS group lost their babies, which were not on their tummy. They were in car seats, swings, strollers, even being held. Babies do not have the startling reflex on when on their tummy either. Sorry but I have done years and years of research since my daughter died and the whole back to sleep thing is a bunch of crap. Of all the mothers I know who have lost a baby to SIDS I only a know a couple that were on their tummy. A baby that dies on their tummy because they are face down or get smothered by a blanket or co-sleeping is NOT SIDS. SIDS is when a baby dies and after an autopsy is performed no cause of death can be determined. Suffocation is a cause of death whether it be intentional or accidental but it is no SIDS. Wake up people or you will end up like me and many other mothers. I was once stupid enough to think that if I put my baby to sleep on her back nothing would happen. I did everything right and I still lost my baby. SIDS cannot be prevented or detected it just happens no matter what position you put your baby to sleep in. They came out with this back to sleep crap and everyone bougth into it so they just went with it. If people would stop being so nieve and believing that is the answer maybe we could find the real reason why this is happening to so many babies, and it is more common then they say people just don't like to talk about it. After loosing my daughter I found out there was 4 other people at my place of employement who had also either lost a baby or else someone in their family lost a baby to SIDS. I guess only people that have lost a baby to it really knows that most of the info about it is being covered up as much as possible.

Answer 3

Placing babies on their stomachs to sleep increases the risk for SIDS. Therefore never place your baby on their stomach for sleep. Place them on their backs only. Our daughter is swaddled with her hands at her sides. We have tried to leave them free but she doesn't like it that way. Eventually she will be old enough to start leaving a hand free so she can suck her fingers and then transition to sleeping without being swaddled.

Answer 4

I have been taught that you should never let a baby sleep on their stomach. Babies should sleep on their back. I can't exactly quote it, but SIDS & a baby sleeping on thier stomach is connected. If you have a doubt I would call my doctor's office. Ask to speak to a nurse & then ask your question. I do this all the time for my daughters. The nurses can answer most questions or they can call you back after they talk to the doctor. But no, do NOT put your baby down to sleep on thier stomach swaddled or not.

Answer 5

Babies shouldn't sleep on their stomachs, swaddled or not.

A lot of babies do like to be swaddled to sleep (on their backs) it makes them feel more secure.

Answer 6

When babies get big enough to turn over or move around on thier on you can't control how they sleep. However, if a baby can't move around such as crawl and turn over they shouldn't be placed on their tummys to sleep let alone swaddling. Some babies don't even need to be swaddled once they are a few months old. Mine hated it once he became about 2 or 3 months old.

Answer 7

Was the baby born in the hospital, or back alley?

Everyone knows you don't put a baby on their stomach.

I don't necessarily agree on the back, but NEVER the stomach!!!
They sell wedges so that your baby can sleep on their side, i got mine at K-Mart a few years ago. Mine worked very well.
Unless your baby needs swaddled, don't even do that. If you are worried about the baby scratching themselves, they also sell hand socks.

Answer 8

Babies should never sleep on their stomach. Thats how they die of SIDS. Especially babies young enough to enjoy swaddling, theyre not strong enough to turn their heads when they cant breathe, and because of that they smother themselves in the matress.

Always put your baby to sleep on its back.

Answer 9

Absolutely not. If babies are swaddled, they should be placed on their backs to sleep and with positioning pillows to help keep them upright if necessary.

My son never liked to be swaddled, but it was effective in calming him enough to get him to sleep.

Answer 10

It was recommended to me to leave all extra-curriculur items out of the crib. It's much easier that way to protect the baby from any accidents.

Also been told to put the baby on its back at bedtime to avoid sudden infant death syndrome.

Needless to say, four kids later, I have learned that its just smarter to do what you feel comfortable doing. If you question the risk of a blanket consider the risks and make a safe decision.